Date Range

1926-2012

Creator

William Richard (Bill) Matheson

Physical Description

20 cm of textual records, over 200 photographs

History Biographical

William Richard (Bill) Matheson was born in Lethbridge on April 26, 1926, the eldest of five children. After graduating from the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, he served in the First Canadian Parachute Battalion for two years at the close of World War II. He then attended the University of Alberta before heading north to Fort Simpson, Alberta, where he worked for the Department of Transport, Meteorological Branch for six years. Bill was well-known in Lethbridge, where he began his on-air television broadcasts as a weather forecaster in the 1950s. Beginning in the mid-1960s he hosted a radio talk show with Terry Bland. The “Phone Bill Show” was noted for its lively discussions on many topics of caller interest. Bill was very involved in community theatre in Lethbridge. He participated in more than 50 plays with the Lethbridge Playgoers, the Lethbridge Musical Theatre and the Coaldale Little Theatre. He was a veteran of several Dominion and Regional Drama Festivals. He wrote a history of the Lethbridge Playgoers, as well as a play “Chinook”, which was performed in Lethbridge. After being recruited by the ABC Network, he worked in New York City for two years as an on-air weatherman. Upon his return to Canada, he joined ITV (now Global) in Edmonton. He worked as an on-air weathercaster there. Around the same time, he was hired by CJCA radio to co-host a radio talk show with Bill Jackson. The “Bill and Bill” show was known for its unique, lively and entertaining discussions. Bill Matheson and Bill Jackson worked together for 17 years. In 1999, Bill retired due to ill health. Bill Matheson received many honors and awards, in particular “World’s Best Weatherman” in 1995 (award presented in Paris, France) and induction into the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Wall of Distinction in 2003. Bill passed away on September 19, 2006.

Acquisition Source

Tricia Matheson (daughter)

Scope and Content

20121047/001 Birth Certificate. 1926 20121047/002 Military Service. 1945 20121047/003 Youth. 1940s. 20121047/004 Passports. 1948-1998 20121047/005 Broadcasting Career. 1956-1999. 20121047/006 Political Candidacy. Liberal Party of Canada. 1965 20121047/007 Community Theatre. 1957-1970 20121047/008 Red Cross Blood Donation Award. n.d. 20121047/009 “World’s Best Weatherman Award”. Paris, 1995 20121047/010 Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Distinguished Achievement Award. 2003 20121047/011 Retirement. 1999 20121047/012 Obituaries, Tributes. 2006 20121047/013 Photographs. Undated. 20121047/014 Book Manuscript. “A Year Down North”. 1970s 20121047/015 Book. “A Year Down North”. 2012 20121047/016 Play. “Chinook”. 1963 20121047/017 Photo Album. 1970s 20121047/018 Photo Album. Hawaii. 1972

Accession No.

20121047

Collection

Archive

Less detail